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Volvo Penta Chosen To Power Italian Coastguard Vessels The Italian Corpo delle Capitanerie di Porto (Coastguard) has now taken delivery of six new rigid inflatable fast patrol boats, each of which is powered by a pair of Volvo Penta TAMD 7 IB diesel en- gines. The engines are rated for Special Light Duty use and each produces 380 hp at 2,600 rpm, drive being via a Hamilton 291 water jet, to give a top speed of more than 33 knots. The boats are of the Dutch "Valentjin" type, a 35-foot long de- sign suitable for launching and re- covery over an open beach and in- corporating an aluminium hull with a surrounding inflatable rubber ring and a covered wheelhouse arrange- ment. The design was produced by the Willem de Vries Lentsch bureau in Holland for the Dutch Lifeboat In- stitute, while the Italian versions have been built by Codecasa Due, of Viareggio, which has acquired a li- cense for the design. The Dutch prototype, also Volvo Penta pow- ered, was completed in 1990 by Damen Shipyards and was followed by a number of production examples, all similarly engined. The six new Italian craft were delivered between the Autumn of 1992 and the Spring of 1993, and have already demonstrated excel- lent performance in service, proving fast and safe with good seakeeping qualities. For more information on the Volvo Penta diesel engines, Circle 20 on Reader Service Card MacGregor-Navire Introduces Omega Seal For Hatch Covers One of MacGregor-Navire's lat- est developments is a pneumatically- actuated, simply-operated, retract- able sealing system for the trans- verse and longitudinal cross joints of lift away hatch covers enabling them to be lifted in any order. Pre- vious types of cross joint seals often involved the hatch cover panels be- ing lifted in a specific order, thus restricting the flexibility of cargo handling operations. The new system, known as the Omega Seal after the Greek letters its cross section resembles, is in- tended for fitting to newbuildings, but may also be retrofitted to cer- tain existing lift away hatch cover panels. An increasing number of vessels, particularly containerships, are now being equipped with the Omega Seal which reportedly offers several ad- vantages when compared with the traditional method of mechanically tightening the seal system. To date, orders have been received for more than 120 joints on over 20 ships. A feature of the Omega Seal is June, 1993 8 that it employs no mechanical com- ponents but uses the natural elas- ticity of the rubber to provide the seal contact between the hatch cover panels. When the hatch covers are to be removed, compressed air is used to alter the profile of the seal, causing it to retract and enabling the panels to be lifted. For more information regarding MacGregor-Navire's Omega Seal, Circle 21 on Reader Service Card Legislation Hopes To Compel Revitalization Of Nation's Marine Business Recently-passed legislation re- quires Secretary of Transportation Federico Pena to draft a five-year plan for revitalizing the merchant marine business. The bill will require the Adminis- tration to take a long-range view of the shipping industry's economic and industrial problems that some feel have been ignored. Improvement of U.S. maritime capabilities will require a myriad of changes, including substantial com- mitment of resources from the gov- ernment, and Pena has been a staunch supporter of tough trade sanctions against massive govern- ment subsidies to foreign shipbuild- ing and ship repair facilities that may have contributed to the decline of the U.S. shipbuilding business. SPECIAL NOTICE To create the first ever truly global marine seals and bearings organisation, John Crane International, the world's largest manufacturer of engineered sealing systems, has acquired controlling interests in Dover Japan Inc., Waukesha Bearing Company Marine Seals in the USA and Waukesha-Lips in Holland. These specialised companies have been linked with John Crane's UK marine company, Deep Sea Seals Ltd to offer an unrivalled product range and a skilled and dedicated tech- nical workforce employed throughout the world. Long time leaders in their own right and now the major combined force in marine technology, it is clear to see why 50 of the world's navies and many leading ship owners, designers and builders put their trust in our unique quality and experience. For further details contact your nearest John Crane Marine International office. highly Deep Sea Seals Limited 4 Marples Way, Havant, Hants P09 1NX, UK. Tel 44 705 492123 Fax 44 705 492470 Telex 86122 Japan Marine Technologies Limited (Formerly Dover Japan Inc) 4th Floor Godo Building, 3-27 Kioi Cho Chiyoda Ku, Tokyo 102, Japan. Tel 81 3 3230 2211 Fax 81 3 3230 2210 Telex 2324593 John Crane Marine USA 1536 Barclay Blvd. Buffalo Grove Illinois 60089, USA Tel 1 708 808 9240 Fax 1 708 808 9295 John Crane Marine-Lips (Formerly Waukesha-Lips) PO Box 176 5150 AD, Lipsstraat 52 5151 RP, Drunen, Netherlands. Tel 31 4163 88299 Fax 31 4163 74853 Telex 35185 John Crane Marine International ===== Trusted Worldwide A member of the Tl Group Circle 243 on Reader Service Card
